100 attend Central Vermont public forum on immigration, refugee support

100 attend Central Vermont public forum on immigration, refugee support

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Updated: 12:30 AM EST Mar 3, 2017

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WEBVTT NOW SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS ANDLEGAL ADVICE.LEGAL ADVICE.REPORTER: ON A THURSDAY NIGHT INTHE PLAINSFIELD OPERA HOUSE,MUSIC WASN'T PLAYING BUT PEOPLEWERE SPEAKING OUT.>> AFTER THE ELECTION THERE WERETONS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TONS OFPEOPLE WHO WERE TERRIFIED ANDALSO WONDERING WHAT CAN WE DO.REPORTER: HEIDI WILSON IS ONE OFTHOSE PEOPLE, SHE ORGANIZED THISPUBLIC FORUM.>> AND WE REALIZE THAT THERE AREA LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEENORGANIZING FOR A LONG TIMEAROUND ISSUES OF PROTECTINGPEOPLES RIGHTS AND THEIR CIVILLIBERTIES SO WE THOUGHT LET'STALK TO THOSE PEOPLE.REPORTER: AND A LOT OF THOSEPEOPLE CAME OUT AND THEY HEARDFROM LEADERS AT AMERICAN CIVILLIBERTIES UNION OF VERMONT THINKIS HAPPENING.>> OBVIOUSLY WE ARE FACING ANUNPRECEDENTED THREAT TO CIVILLIBERTIES VERY BROADLY.REPORTER: BUT PRESIDENT TRUMPDOESNT SEE IT THAT WAY, HE MADETHAT CLEAR IN HIS BUDGET ADDRESSTO CONGRESS.>> WE WANT ALL AMERICANS TOSUCCEED BUT THAT CAN'T HAPPEN INAN ENVIRONMENT OF LAWLESS CHAOS.WE MUST RESTORE INTEGRITY ANDTHE RULE OF LAW AT OUR BORDERS.REPORTER: AND WHILE NOT ALLCENTRAL VERMONTERS ARE AGAINSTTHE PRESIDENT'S STAND ONIMMIGRATION, NEIGHBORS LIKEHEIDI WILSON SAY THOSE THAT ARENEED TO KEEP ORGANIZING ANDSPEAKING OUT.>> PEOPLE WITH SOME PRIVILEGECAN KIND OF STAY QUIET AND CANGIVE INTO SOME SORT OFUNINTENTIONAL COWARDICE. OR THEYCAN STAND UP AND COME TOGETHERTO SHOW COMMUNITY COURAGE ANDSAY NO WE'RE ALL IN THISTOGETHER. EVERYONE'S RIGHTSMATTER, EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TOFEEL SAFE.REPORTER: THE FORUM COLLECTED$654 IN DONATIONS FOR THE ACLU,

100 attend Central Vermont public forum on immigration, refugee support

On a Thursday night in the Plainfield Opera House, music wasn't playing, but people were speaking out.

“After the election, there were tons of people who were terrified and also wondering what can we do,” said Heidi Wilson, of Plainfield.

Wilson is one of those people and organized a public forum.

"And we realize that there are a lot of people that have been organizing for a long time around issues of protecting people’s rights and their civil liberties,” she said. “So we thought, let's talk to those people."

One-hundred people heard what leaders at American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont think is happening.

"Obviously, we are facing an unprecedented threat to civil liberties very broadly,” said James Lyall, of the Vermont ALCU.

But President Trump doesn’t see it that way--he made that clear in his budget address to Congress.

"We want all Americans to succeed, but that can't happen in an environment of lawless chaos. We must restore integrity and the rule of law at our borders,” said President Trump.

While not all Central Vermonters are against the president's stand on immigration, neighbors like Heidi Wilson say there are those that need to keep organizing and speaking out.

"People with some privilege can kind of stay quiet and can give into some sort of unintentional cowardice,” said Wilson. “Or they can stand up and come together to show community courage and say no, we're all in this together. Everyone's rights matter, everyone has a right to feel safe."

The forum collected $654.23 dollars in donations for the ACLU, Migrant Justice and the Central Vermont Refugee Action Network.